and words to the Doctrine practice worship whereby any offence may be given then to the persons And that primarily to our own affaires words and works whereby we may put any stumbling block and offence in the way either of our neighbour or of our selves Secondarily to the matters of our neighbour as far as he may become unto us or we unto him a stumbling block or offence Secondly it is to be noted that he doth not properly speak of the offence of affections whereby we or our neighbour is provoked to anger afflicted offended and alienated from us but of the offence of Conscience whereby either our own Conscience is wounded by going against Conscience or the neighbour is misse-led into errours or sinnes of Conscience or he being already ingaged in errours and sinnes of Conscience is by us strengthned and confirmed therein But we need also to take heed of the offence of affections and the hatred arising from them as much as possibly may be according to the rule Rom. 12. v. 18. If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Yet not so neither that we give thereby an offence to our Conscience and also by reason of the outward peace with men should destroy and lose the inward peace of Conscience Thirdly it is indubitabe hereby that the Apostle requireth nothing else but that we for our part give or put no occasion to fall in any mans way Which hapneth when we either commit that which is evill and omit that which is good or abuse so our liberty in indiffent things that the weak are scandalized at our example which is to say offended made worse thereby and mis-led into errors and sinnes But it is no wayes required from us that we for the avoiding of such scandall and offence which others without cause either out of weaknes or malice receive at us in doing what is good and omitting what is evill should therefore omit that which is good and commit that which is evill For we must not do evill that good may come Rom. 3. v. 8. Not wound our own Conscience that another mans erroneous Conscience may not be offended Yea we need not neither forsake our liberty in indifferent matters because of those that are offended at them out a Pharisaicall hypocrisie and malice or judge and condemn us but only for their sake which are weak in faith But against the others we must often times of necessity stick fast to the liberty for no other reason but this l st they may impose on us a necessity against that liberty which Christ hath purchased unto us Gal. 2. v. 4 5. Which generall rule of avoiding offence of them that are weak in faith the Apostle doth apply in the words following upon the meats which were fordidden in the Law but were indifferent things in the Gospel I know saith he and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing no meat unclean common of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean common From which he maketh a two-fold inference I. He that hath the knowledge and receiveth it for a free indifferent thing may use it for himself without sinne Yet so that he give no offence towards sinne nor grieve or distract without necessity the weak who doth not yet acknowledge the same but accounteth it for forbidden and unclean Rom. 14. v. 15 For if thy brother be grieved with thy meat in his Conscience Now walkest thou not charitably Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died II. He that hath not the knowledge but esteemeth it to be forbidden and unclean or at least doubteth thereof may not use the same without sinne and offence to his Conscience v. 20. All things indeed are pure but it is evill for that man who eateth with offence v. 23. and he that doubteth whether they are indifferent or not lawfull or unlawfull before God if he eateth is damned condemned viz. of his own Conscience because he eateth not of faith For whatsoever is not of faith viz. so that we are sure that they are acceptable to God or permitted by God is sinne This very same Doctrine is repeated over again by the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. Where he applieth it almost in like manner to meats offered to Idols v. 5. Concerning the eating of those things that are offered in Sacrifice unto Idols We know that an Idoll is nothing c. v. 7. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge for some with Conscience of the Idol eat it as a thing offered unto an Idol and their Conscience being weak is defiled c. v. 9 10 11 12 13. Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak For if any man seeth thee which hast knowledge sit at table in the Idols Temple Shall not the Conscience of him which is weak be emboldned to eat those things which are offered to Idols And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died But when you sinne so against the brethren and wound their weak Conscience ye sinne against Christ Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend By which Doctrine of the Apostle we may here easily understand what and how farre we ought to judge in matters of Religion and Conscience Judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Wherefore I. How farre we may judge of the Doctrine and Religion of the erring we must not judge the persons whether they are damned before God or not but properly and principally the matter it self whether it be an article of faith or life of doctrine or worship and only so farre and to this end that it may not become a stumbling block and offence of Conscience unto us and others But the persons we may judge so farre that we may avoid to give them the like offence or we our selves to be offended at them II. And not only in those things which are commanded or forbidden by God to beleeve or to do and therefore are necessary but also which are in themselves free indifferent things which is to say neither commanded nor forbidden and therefore not necessary to do or to omit them which neverthelesse we must judge thus far lest by our liberty we put a stumbling block in the way of the weak whereby they might deal against their Conscience having no knowledge of such liberty but holding them for necessary in their erroneous Conscience or doubting of them III. Being we must be so cautious in free indifferent things because of the weak how much more in things that are necessary and commanded or forbidden by God lest we may teach or do somewhat against our knowledge and wilfully what God hath rejected and prohibited in his Word as unlawfull or
and conversion from sin and without new obedience to Christ Commandments Which all is so plainly and expresly taught in the undoubted Word of God especially in the Five aforementioned principal Points that every Christian may sufficiently understand them unto his salvation and hath been unanimously professed in the Primitive Apostolike Church But whatsoever is not so clearly and expresly taught in the Word of God as a necessary Article of Faith Love and Obedience towards Christ nor hath been understood and taught out of the same in the Primitive Church That very same though it dependeth from it by a necessary consequence and therefore may be true doctrine and agreeable to Scripture yet it cannot be necessary for them who do not understand it as yet and retain onely the Fundamental doctrine it self the saving faith and love towards Christ at least so long till God enlighteneth and bringeth their understanding to a fuller knowledge of the Truth which they in the fear of God ought daily to search into Whereby we do conclude further that We ought also not to judge one another according to the aforesaid rule of the Apostle in these doctrines Especially when the other may produce Motives and reasons to the contrary and such which are taken not from natural reason but from the Word of God and therefore bindeth not onely his understanding but also his conscience that he cannot receive such doctrines for fear of sinning against God and his Word but must at least doubt of them For in such a case we must say Whosoever doubteth if he eateth if he receiveth them is damned by his own conscience And rather according to the Apostle's exhortation in such controversies of doctrines We must receive him that is weak in faith but not to doubtful disputations Who art thou that judgest another mans servant To his own master he standeth or falleth Let us therefore not judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or offence of conscience in his brothers way CHAP. IV. That the Romane Catholike Church hath no ground to Judge and condemn the Protestant Reformed Evangelical Churches as Heretical HAving laid this ground we may easily and as much as is necessary for every ones conscience unto salvation deliver our Judgement and Opinion concerning the Modern differences and dissentions in matters of Religion which among the Christians that make on all sides profession of the written Word of God contained in the Old and New Testament are fomented and aggravated meerly out of an Unseasonable and Uncharitable judging and condemning with such vehemency and bitternesse yea with such great effusion of blood and lamentable devastation of Countreys that never the like was heard of any other Religion in the world At this present I will make but a short Application to the Three principal divided and dissenting Churches Differences betwixt the Romane Catholikes Lutheran and Reformed Churches which are dispersed in the Occidental Christian World thorowout whole Provinces and Kingdoms As first the said Romane Catholikes or Papists so called who besides the holy Scriptures are grounded upon the traditions of the Church and especially upon the Councel of Trent and generally are altogether subjected and depend on the Pope of Rome as being their Supreme Head and Judge in matters of Religion and Conscience as the Churches in Italy Spain and the greater part in France Germany and Poland Then the Protestant Evangelical Lutherans as they themselves will be called who besides the holy Scripture professe Confessionem Agustanam Saxonicam formulam Concordiae as their Symbolical and Universal Books of doctrine not that they ground principally their Faith and Religion upon them but that they hold the doctrine and opinions of them conformable to Scripture and necessary unto Salvation as in Germany especially in high and lowe Saxony some Churches in Swaben Francony Westphaly Hessen c. and without Germany the Churches in Denmark Sweden and Prussia although there is some difference perceived betwixt them because some have not received hitherto as yet the said formulam Saxonicam and some of them have collected their own peculiar Corpora doctrinae Confessions and Books of Doctrine Thirdly those Evangelical Christian Protestants who because they will not be bound and tied to any man's whether it be Luther's Calvin's Zuinglius or any other's Doctrine or Books and therefore not be named by any man's name but have purged and reformed their Doctrine and Religion from the abuses of Popery onely according to the written Word of God are commonly called Reformed by some Papists they are called Biblists or Scripture-men of which name they need not to be ashamed because they are grounded on and refer themselves wholly to the holy Bible as the Churches in England Scotland Helvetia the United Provinces of the Low-Countreys all the reformed Churches in France with some particular Churches in Germany Poland Hungary c. Which though they have collected and framed also their peculiar Confessions yet not with the intent to binde other Christians consciences even to their word but onely to testifie their Unanimous consent and Uniformitie first and principally in the necessary fundamental Points of salvation out of the manifest Word of God then secondarily in the confutation and rejecting of the erroneous By-doctrines especially those of the Popish Churches which have no ground in the Word of God but are è diametro opposite to it by a necessary consequence And withal to decline and refute all sorts of calumnies and slanders of their Adversaries Wherefore also they by a special Confession of theirs do not reject the Confession of others especially that of Augspourg though there be some difference in words remaining much lesse do presume to condemn other Eastern and Western Churches because of some different opinions or Ceremonies if onely they do agree with them in the fundamental points of doctrine and for the rest withhold themselves from condemning others And even for these very same reasons have I hitherto addicted my self to the Confession of these Reformed Churches and am resolved with Gods assistance to persevere in it even unto death not onely because I acknowledge in the controverted Points the doctrine of these Churches I say Their own doctrine which they themselves Vnanimously professe to be consonant and agreeable to Scripture but especially because besides the Indubitable Universal Fundamental Doctrines and necessary Articles of faith which they with one consent receive they do not maintain or impose upon others any other doctrine as necessary unto salvation which in it self and by Gods command is not but impart and permit to every one the due libertie of Conscience and also do neither deny pervert or mutilate any part or articles of the true Gospel of Christ nor introduce any other By-Gospel or By-articles or judge or condemn others for it Whereas other Churches principally the Papists and partly the Lutherans if they do not quite deny any necessary point of true
deny or omit what God hath ordained and commanded Whereby we should give yet a more dangerous offence first to our own Conscience who have the knowledge thereof out of the Word of God and then to others whether they have the knowledge thereof or not not only to do against erroneus or weak but against true-beleeving Consciences and withall against Gods command it self IV. But most of all when such false Doctrine or Religion which God hath forbidden is pressed upon us not only as sound and true but as necessary unto salvation or on the contrary when the true sound Doctrine and worship which God hath commanded is forbidden and condemned not only as unnecessary or erroneous but even as hereticall Which also if we did confesse or practice that and did deny or omit this against Conscience would not only prove a common sinne and offence to our and our neighbours Conscience but also idolatry and a denying of God For since we ought not to give way that such things which God in the Gospel left free and indifferent unto us as for example the Mosaicall distinction of meats or the Circumcision which was injoyned to the people of Israel in the Law should be as necessary imposed on us lest we might seek our salvation without Christ Gal. 5 v. 1 2 3 4. How much lesse then ought we to countenance those things which God hath absolutely forbidden whereby we would seek our salvation not only without but against Christ and because of mens Traditions and Doctrines make Gods commandement of none effect Matth. 15. v. 6. Whether and how farre we may separate ourselves in the doctrine and religion of the erroneous Church V. From whence we conclude further when we because of such erroneous doctrine or Religion inforced upon us as necessary against the Word of God as much as in our conscience we may have knowledge of it are cried downe for Hereticks condemned excommunicated shut out and cut off from the Christian Church and the communion of the Saints That then we have not only good reason but also are in conscience bound and constrained of necessity and force to separate our selves and with-draw from that Church thus proceeding with us And not consequently those who of necessity as excommunicate and rejected men must separate themselves but those which do reject and force them to such a separation are properly guilty of the unjust uncharitable judging of mens Consciences and also of the scisme and division of all the miseries and distractions depending from the same VI. Yea that no man who in his Conscience acknowledgeth that this Doctrine is the truth of God which by such erroneous Churches or those that have charge over them is thus excommunicated and condemned may with a safe Conscience remaine in their outward communion and fellowship First because he cannot but play the Hypocrite and dissemble thereby against his own true beleeving Conscience and against the Word of God so that he would become to himselfe a heavie offence and stumbling blocke to his own conscience Then because he would also by his example be scandalous and offensive to other true beleevers who together with him did acknowledge the same and were excommunicated for it yea should strengthen and confirm their excommunication and condemnation as much as did lie in his power which certainly is a most grievous sinne not only against the confession of faith but against the Christian brotherly charitie Thirdly because he would also give an offence to the erring partie by confirming him both in such errours and in the uncharitable excommunication and condemnation with his own example and assent and by making himself partaker of their sinnes and persecutions VII Moreover when such Church or part of it although it doth maintaine such erroneous doctrine and religion yet inforceth it not upon ' its fellow-members as necessary nor excommunicateth or reiecteth them for it but in such erroneous points of doctrine permitteth the true-beleevers to inioy their liberty of conscience These then though they have reason to avoid and beware of the Communion of the erroneous doctrine and worship as of an abominable and pernicious leaven and to contradict it out of the word of God in due time and place with Christian charity and meeknesse yet in their other points of doctrine and Religion agreeable to the word of God ought not as yet utterly to withdraw and separate themselves from such a Church lest by their separation an occasion may be given to further scisme and division which many times is more prejudiciall and offensive then the errour it self Whereof we have set before our eyes not only the Prophets and other true-beleeving Israelites who lived in the idolatrous times at Bethel and during the Baal-service in Israel and yet not bowed their knees unto him But also the example of Christ himself and his Disciples before and after his ascension who did not separate themselvs from the Jewish Temple and Synagogues as long as they could be tolerated in them because of the leven of the Pharisees and Saduces yea the Lord rather exhorted them that though they should take heed and beware of the leven Mat. 16. v. 6. yet should labour to do and to observe whatsoever the Scribes and Pharisees did bid them observe in Moses seat out of the law Matth. 23. v. 1 2. VIII Out of all this we inferre yet further When and how farre we may undergo the Refomation If not only private particular persons but whole Congregations or the greatest and principall part of them especially they that have charge over them acknowledge and discover by the Word of God any dangerous errour and abuse which hath peradventure taken root in them Whereby somewhat that is erroneous and pernicious is added or somewhat that is sound and necessary is diminished or perverted in the Vniversall indubitable saving doctrine and worship That then they have good reason yea are bound in their Conscience and function to reform such dangerous abuses and errours according to the Word of God and the example of the Primitive undoubted Apostolicall Church yea withall to exhort and animate out of Gods Word other Congregations unto like Reformation lest they cast any further stumbling block and occasion to fall both in their own and their posterities way Deut. 13. Jos 22. Judg. 6. v. 10. 1 Sam. 7. 1 Chron. 13. 15. 2 Chron. 15. 17. 29. 30. 31. 34. c. 1 Cor. 5. v. 7. 11. v. 16. Gal. 5. v. 1.10 Revel 2. v. 5.14 15.24 3. v. 2 3. Yet so that they do not therefore rashly condemn other particular Churches which do not acknowledge such errours but rather carefully endeavour to conserve the bond of Christian charity and unity in the rest of the Universall undoubted Doctrine till they are likewise edified by their example and delivered from such dangerous errours But if other particular Churches are so much scandalized and offended at such
indifferent things because of them that are weak in faith If but they reciprocally permit us the liberty of Conscience that we are not constrained to receive acknowledg them as necessary unto salvation As also contrariwise in those things which We for our part esteem necessary because of Gods Ordinance but they as free indifferent things as for example the Communion under both kinds We must then judge their erroneous opinion thus farre lest we omit and neglect Gods Ordinance against our Conscience for their sake Yet neverthelesse as long as they do not yet acknowledge with us such necessity and Ordinance of God We have no reason therefore to judge their Consciences nor to separate our selves from them in all other points of Doctrine and Religion wherein we agree as yet together If they would but let us enjoy our liberty therein lest we should be constrained to do against our Consciences because of their pretended liberty III. Morover concerning such differences in Doctrine and Religion where both sides account their opinion for absolutly necessary and godly consequently the contrary opinion as repugnant to the word of God and his Ordinance for false and erroneous or even for superstitious and damnable of those we ought and must judge so far that we stedfastly adhere to Gods truth since we have gotten the knowledge thereof out of the word of God and avoid to have any communion with the contrary errours and abuses especially Idolatry and Superstition lest we dangerously wound and offend our own Consciences Yet if they would not presse such Doctrine and worship of theirs which they for themselves hold necessary as necessary upon us against our Consciences who know it to be repugnant to the word of God but at least would tolerate us amongst themselves as erring and weake beleeving Christians If also their Religion and worship were so constituted that we could have a fellowship together for the other points wherein we yet agree without communion of any Superstition and without hypocrisie or denying of Gods truth and without scandall to other weake beleevers We would or should then not utterly separate our selves from their Churches in the remnant of the true Religion because of their errours and abuses which they have added unto it but carry and behave our selves therein according to the example of the true beleevers in Judea who under the idolatrous Kings in Juda forsook not quite the Temple of the Lord though it was polluted with manifold idolatries But performed their godly exercises therein according to the Law Yea after the example of Christ himself and his Disciples who although the House of God was made a den of theevs and defiled with much leaven of the Pharisees and Saduces and although they were aware of their leaven yet neglected not with them to teach and to pray in the Temple and Synogogues as long as they could be tolerated therein Joh. 18. v. 20. Acts 3. v. 1. 5. v. 42. 13. v. 5. 21. v. 27 28. But now at this present the difference and breach betwixt the Romish and Protestant Church is in a quite other case Why we must of necessity separate our selves from the Romish Church so that the Schism and Separation is unavoidable especially for these reasons following First because the Romish Church besides the Doctrine which on both sides is received for Christian and Catholike will not let the Protestants enjoy their liberty in many such Doctrines and forms of worship whereof they themselves must confesse that they are not necessary in themselves unto salvation but inforce those upon them as absolutely necessary because of their Traditions and Ordinances of the Church sub anathemate upon excommunication and pain of damnation And even in such things which we for our part hold not only not necessary but expressely repugnant to the Word of God and partly Superstitious As for example The Communion under one kind contrary to the commandement of Christ Drink ye all of this The Invocation of Saints and adoration of Images repugnant to the Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy self Images Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them c. The prohibition for all Priests to marry and commandment for all Christians to abstain from certain meats at certain times which the Apostle calleth Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4 v. 1 2 3. and more such like points which for the most part were specified before in the 4. Chap. Secondly because they have introduced some such Doctrines and Religion as necessary fundamentall Doctrines whereas they cannot shew us any evident and certain warrant from the written Word of God that they are of God but we may produce to the contrary more certain and manifest grounds from the undoubted written Word of God being convinced in our Consciences that they are false erroneous and repugnant to Gods Word and Ordinance or to the very fundamentall Doctrine if not expressely yet by a necessary consequence and also absolutely damnable in themselves especially to them who should entertain them against their Consciences For example That the body of Christ must daily be formed of bread by the Masse-Priest or transubstantiated offered again for the quick and dead and adored under the shape of bread That we must deserve eternal life through our own condign merits make satisfaction for our sins we our selves and yet even be doubtfull of our salvation That all men on earth are subject to the Pope in stead of Christ upon pain of their damnation and must beleeve and receive as the words of Christ himself whatsoever he teacheth and ordaineth by vertue of his Supreme Popish power And such like points which they for their part maintain not only as necessary and sound Doctrines but inforce them upon the whole Christian Church as principall points of most necessary fundamentall saving Doctrine Thirdly because their chief and daily Religion and worship is so qualified that we cannot even have a communion with that which they retain with us out of the Word of God unlesse we would thereby against our consciences make our selves partakers of such erroneous Doctrines and Superstitious abuses especially in the Masse Fourthly and principally because they will not tolerate us who cannot allow against our Consciences and the known Word of God of their un-Catholick by-Doctrines and Ceremonies which they have added to the Ancient Catholick Doctrines nor receive us either as true-beleevers nor as erring weak beleeving fellow members of the Christian Church but utterly condemn and excommunicate us as unfaithfull Hereticks yea in many places persecute us with banishment fire and sword as it is apparently manifest to the whole world so that they have solemnly published and authorized their un-Christian sentence in the Councell of Trent in such a manner that it cannot be recalled and consequently no melioration or reconcilement and agreement on their side can be hoped for as long as they stand to the said Councell By all which I conceive
each impartial and unpassionate man may easily comprehend How farre we judge the Papists First that we for our part not only ought but are bound in conscience to judge and determine thus far of their Doctrine and Religion yet not with the intent that we should attribute unto our selves or to our Churches any jurisdiction or power over other Churches or persons and their Consciences or constitute our own spirit to be judge in matters of Religion as the Papists do charge us withall or that every Idiot or Ignorant may and can judge of Theologicall Controversies But only that we each of us for himself and his own Conscience must judge and discern Judicio discretionis as far as God through his spirit hath endued him with knowledge of his word what we apprehend to be consonant or repugnant to the Word of God truth or falshood good or evill light or darknesse and consequently what for to avoid our own damnation we beleeve for our selves or not beleeve confesse or deny or also set by as uncertain and doubtfull and in one word what we must do and avoid for our salvation Which judging and determining no man let him be never so simple and unlearned and of what Religion soeveâ— can be hindred and refrained from because no man even amongst the Papists themselves can or shall receive or reject any Religion for himself but he judgeth partly of it and hath his reasons and grounds why he doth imbrace or reject it though in his sentence and decision he may judg aright or wrong build upon good or evil grounds upon the Word of God or the words of men which either will make for his own salvation or damnation as the Apostle saith in the precedent verse That every one shall give an account for himself Wherefore we shall also alwayes be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh us a reason of the hope that is in us with meeknesse and fear The true cause of the modern Ecclesiasticall Schisme and separation is to be imputed to the Romish Catholicks having a good conscience 1 Pet. 3. v. 15.16 Secondly that also the cause and occasion of the Schisme and Separation of the Protestant Churches from the Romish is not properly to be imputed to the Protestants but to the Roman-Catholicks yet not to the whole Romish Church but principally to the Popes and their Prelates who have their dominion over the Romish Church and those Divines whose advice and doctrine they follow Yea that We are not those who separate and with-draw our selves from the Catholick Church but the Papists are they who first by un-Catholick additions of new Doctrins and Traditions are fallen away from the true Ancient Catholick Apostolicall Church and withall reject and separate themselves from us by their un-Christian condemning and persecuting us as Hereticks And not only us but all other Churches of the whole world which are not subjected to the See of Rome viz. the Grecian Russian Armenian Georgian Aethiopian c. wherby neverthelesse the Romish Church by pretending to be the Universal Catholick Church on earth and excluding all others from it hath separated it self from all other Churches in the whole world like as in fromer times the Donatists in Africa and is also become a right Schismaticall Sectary Church Wherefore also we must of necessity separate our selves from it both for its un-Catholicall superstitious Doctrine and Religion lest we make our selves partakers of it and also for its un-Christian Tyrannical judging because we may not be tolerated amongst them but are utterly rejected by them to the end that we may remain united with the true Catholick Church in the Univerall Christian Faith and brotherly charity in Christ Wherunto we are so often and earnestly exhorted in the Word of God Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins Revel 18. v. 4. Come out from amongst them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you 2 Cor. 6. v. 17. Take heed and beware of the leaven Mat. 16. v. 6. Keep your selves from Idols 1 Joh. 5. v. 21. Flee from idolatry 1 Cor. 10. v. 14 c. Thirdly that herein also we do not proceed against this Apostolick rule but therfore rather separate our selves lest we may offend and scandalize the consciences And first our own Conscience which needs must be grievously offended if we should against our Conscience adhere to such a Doctrine and Religion whereof not only we have no certain ground from the Word of God but acknowledge it to be repugnant to it and superstitious whereby we should separate us from God himself by reason we wilfully forsake and deny his Word and Ordinance for if it be damnable for them to proceed against Conscience when they do erre or yet doubt as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 14. v. 23. How much more then when it is sufficiently and evidently warranted and convinced by the Word of God Then secondly the Consciences of our brethren who acknowledge with us such errors and abuses of the Popish Doctrine and Religion to whom we should give a very grievous offence if we dissembling against Conscience would also by our example mis-lead them against Conscience to the like hypocrisie and superstition Thirdly the Consciences of the erring themselves who do not acknowledge the errours as yet and whom we would by our example confirm in their Idolatry and abuses and consequently in their uncharitable excommunications and persecutions of the true beleevers and therewith make our selves partakers of their sins whereas we should rather labour to bring them to knowledge as much as lies in our power And although we upon these most urgent and solid reasons must be separate from the Romish Church in the Communion of their exterior Congregations Yet we are inseparate and undivided in those things wherein they agree with us in the Primitive Apostolicall Christianity as hath been said heretofore and remain with them as far united both in the Doctrin of faith and in the duties of Christian charity as much as we with safety of our Consciences may discharge towards them or they will but accept of us Fourthly Because not onely particular men and teachers but also whole Congregations yea whole people and nations unanimously agree in the knowledge and rejecting of such erroneous Popish Doctrin and Worship That the Protestant Churches had good reason have been bound in Conscience to reforme themselves It doth follow by all this without any contradiction that they have had good reason yea have been bound in Conscience and by vertue of their Function to purge their Churches from such Popish leaven and to reform them according to the word of God though the Popes of Rome or the Romish Church with their Dependents will not condescend at all to such Reformation but Anathematize Excommunicate oppose and destroy it to their utmost power seeing it cannot be maintained under any
points of their doctrine and Ceremonies to be ereoneous and false and if not directly yet by a necessary consequence repugnant to the word of God and some Articles of faith Neverthelesse if but they who have not the knowledge yet of such consequence account their owne opinions agreeable to Scripture might not impose them or theirs as necessary Articles of faith but let us enjoy therein our liberty of Conscience If they also would leave to our freedome such Ceremonies of theirs as they themselves will have held as free indifferent things and consequently would tolerate and receive us and our teachers as true Christians or at least as weake brethren in faith though we cannot assent to their owne peculiar opinions as some peaceable Divines amongst them Paulus Eberus David Chytraeus Christopherus Donaver Nicolaus Hemmingius and principally Philippus Melanchton besides many others of his Followers yea whole Congregations and Churches especially in the Kingdom of Poland and great Dutchy of Lithuania a great while since have declared themselves Wee should then have no reason at all yea we were rather to be blamed and should be Schismaticks indeed if we of our owne accord should with-draw and separate our selves from them because of such different opinions and Ceremonies Of whom we yet acknowledge and confesse that for the rest if they doe not make their owne opinions to be necessary fundamentall points they retaine with us the true ground of Christs saving Doctrine and are exempted in their Religion from a publick and manifest Idolatrie And for these reasons have our Churches and Divines at all times most faithfully earnestly and zealously sought to procure and settle a Christian reconcilement and Unitie as formerly in Luthers time in the conference at Marpurg An. 1529 in the Concordia at Wittenberg Anno 1536. and in later years the Palatine and others in their Declarations for Ecclesiasticall peace which also were reassumed in the Conference at Leiprig Anno 1631. As likewise at those present times many eminent Divines beyond Sea in England France and Scotland whose opinions and assistance therein as that Reverend and worthy man Mr. Iohn Duray hath solicited with a singular industry and zeale to a peaceable Unitie and Reconcilement faithfully and sincerely wish advise in their publick Writings such an Unanimitie Uniformitie amongst the Churches in Germany Whence it sufficiently appeareth that we for our part are not inclined to judge and to condemne the Lutherans or to continue in the division and separation from them which hath lasted already above a hundred years Againe it is knowne and manifest on the other side that the Lutherans on their part will hearken and condescend not only to no absolute agreement and reconcilement but also to no Christian and brotherly toleration or moderation in this unhappy Ecclesiasticall difference Because the greater part of their Doctors and Divines upom whom also many Lay-men depend especially the vulgar sort though with indiscretion and defend their zeale maintain their different and controverted opinions not only as agreeable with Scripture but impose them also as necessary grounds and principall Articles of Christian faith without which men may not be counted true Christians nor be saved And so in some manner falsifie therwith the ground-work it self by their owne additionall opinions which they lay for a By-ground of salvation And will not let us effectually injoy our Liberty in such ceremonies which they themselves call adiaphora free indifferent things nor consequently receive us or our teachers as fellow-Christians unlesse wee acknowledge and professe with them the Omnipresence of Christs body the carnall eating thereof in the bread and other such like points of doctrine contained in their formula concordiae much lesse admit us to the Ministery but most vehemently condemne us as the worst Hereticks who doe ovorthrow the foundation and exclude us from the Communion of their Churches yea in many places exclude us from civill society from dignities and offices from Senates from priviledges of the Citie from marriages and from honourable burials Moreover they yet daily and most spightfully pervert calumniate and slander the Doctrine of our Church and continually and most unjustly without the least ground against our owne so often reiterated Declarations charge it with dreadfull and abominable Blasphemies which neither Luther himselfe nor other his Ancient followers ever did and for no other reason but that they might pretend so much more cause for to condemne and reject us What is most reprovable in Lutheran Divines And this is that we finde in the said Lutherans most reprovable and damnable not simply the erroneous Doctrine in it selfe but that they make it a necessary fundamentall Doctrine and of their owne particular Opinions make Articles of Faith and that they therefore so uncharitably and un-Christian like judge and condemne us Why the Reformed must separate themselves from the Lutherans Whereby also every one may evidently see that we therefore have not onely good reason but are of necessity constrained to separate our selves in our Religion from those who will by no means tolerate us nor receive us as Christians least we professe and addict our selves against conscience to such Doctrines and acknowledge them as necessary Articles of saving Faith whereof we have not onely no certaine warrant from the word of God but are convinced in our consciences of their repugnancy to it Wherewith we would give a dangerous scandall and offence first to our own Conscience by denying the knowne Truth of God and then to other fellow Christians as well to the true-Beleevers who with us have the knowledge of the Truth that they might by our example proceed against conscience as to the erring that they might be strengthened and confirmed by our example in their errours And here againe we are not those that separate themselves from them but they are those that Separate and reject us and yet not because of the manifest Word of God as they pretend but because of their owne Opinions Interpretations Inferences Formaâ—ls and Expressions Whereby they put a very dangerous stumbling block and occasion to fall both in our and their owne way yea in the way of the Universall Christian Church and though they proceed not against the ground of Faith yet they are against the ground of CHRISTIAN CHARITIE Especially whereas also the Christian Unitie or brotherly toleration which hath been of our side offered to them at severall times both by word of mouth and in writring not onely hitherto hath been utterly refused by them but also by many mis-interpreted to the worst reviled slandered so that the most pernicious Schism and breach of the Church is but grown thereby more dangerous lamentable Which al we ought to beare yet with a Christian Patience committing it to the Soveraigne and highest Judge and therefore not omit to seeke and maintaine the Unitie of spirit in Faith and love with them that are peaceably affected Some Lutheran Divines are
therefore tumultuously rise when they maintaine and use the like libertie for themselves and them that are of the same confession and Faith Being the Lutheran Divines and confessours have hitherto not as yet attributed to themselves the power and as I hope will never do it to absolve and discharge the Subjects from their Oath of Allegiance towards the Magistrats who have renounced the Obedience of the Popish See and Supremacy as is sufficiently evident by the examples in France and England Besides it would be thought in it selfe an unheard of injustice if Subjects should not suffer their Magistrats to have as much liberty of conscience and Religion as they themselves enjoy under their protection Neverthelesse if the Christian Magistrats might but so much obtaine of the Lutheran Divines and Congregations of their Jurisdiction that they might not calumniate or condemne the Doctrine of our Church but receive us also as fellow-brethren and Christians in our Faith and Confession unto the Ministery of the Word of God and use of the Holy Sacraments in their Assemblies I willingly then confesse that men should not rashly undertake such a particular Reformation in Ceremonies whereby a Division may be occasioned but rather tolerate such defects because of the Ignorant and weake in Faith who do little apprehend and discerne the Discrepancy of the Doctrine and at the alteration of Ceremonies presently imagine a quite new Religion whereas they should insist upon the found information of Doctrine till they at length without offence and division either might be corrected with an unanimous goodly consent or each one enjoy his owne libertie therein To which purpose it conduceth also what Augustine saith of such like alterations Ep. 118. Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat That many times the alteration doth not profit and edifie as much as the Division doth hurt and destroy CHAP. XII Whether or how far we may judge or condemn the persons in matters of Religion BY all this what hitherto hath been declared of judging the matter it self in different and controverted Doctrine and Religion and of Separation and Reformation which ariseth from it We may easily now understand whether and how far we ought to judge the persons For as far as we must discern the matter what is sound and true or false and erroneous Doctrine or Worship So far we can and must also extend our judgement to the persons according to the Word of God which of them teacheth true or false Doctrine to the end that we may know whom and how far we ought to follow lest they become not to us or others a stumbling block or an occasion to fall seeing that that judging of the Doctrine cannot be performed without this judging of the persons who maintain the Doctrine yet so that we ought not instantly to condemn the erring persons because of their errour though it be damnable in it self but rather alwayes hope for their amendment as much as is possible As First Those that maintain ignorantly such an errour which by a necessary consequence is repugnant to the saving fundamental Doctrine and yet stand steadfastly to the fundamental Doctrine it self and build not their salvation even upon such an errour and therefore do not condemn us and our Churches which maintain the very same ground Those I say no doubt notwithstanding their errour they may be saved if they do but labour to testifie also their Faith in Christ by the works of Christian charity and godly conversation And that such an errour which would be damnable unto us that have the knowledge of it if we should receive it against conscience yet is not damnable to them by the grace of God who will judge them according to their Faith and works and not according to their ignorance Secondly Those also which condemn us yet if they do it not out of malice as those false Apostles Gal. 1. and 3. and 4. but out of humane weaknesse and meer ignorance either because they are not truely informed of our Doctrine and Faith or esteem it to be repugnant to the Word of God and the Doctrine of the Primitive Apostolical Church Those I say we ought not to condemn although they condemn us with indiscretion but rather pray for them and hope the best of their salvation as long as they hold fast the ground of Faith and the love of Christ which we presume not without reason the greatest part of them do Thirdly Those likewise who ground and build their salvation upon erroneous and false Doctrine and Religion which in some manner all those are enforced to do who account them for necessary fundamental Doctrine and indeed sufficiently testifie that they do not condemn us meerly out of infirmity but out of an uncharitablenesse and malice and also retain not the true ground of Faith nor the love of Christ Those we may judge by the Word of God as all other men who passe their life in notorious sins and vices without true repentance that they are in a damnable condition which is to say That God could condemn them of right in their blindnesse and malice and shall undoubtedly condemn them unlesse they repent Finally we may proceed also with them after the rule of Christ and the Apostles A man that is an Heretick reject let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publicane Matth. 18. v. 17. after the first and second admonition knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself Yet we ought not therefore utterly to condemn them but rather still pray for them hoping God may convert them yet before their last gasp For although the Apostle saith 1 John 5. vers 16. There is a sin unto death for which we shall not pray Yet he saith not that we shall not pray for the sinner much lesse condemn him unto death we being not able exactly to know nor ought to judge whether he hath committed the sin unto death viz. the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost or in other sins is given over to a hardned and an obdurate unbeleef and impenitency With one word We must absolutely resigne and commit the judgement of eternal damnation to God alone being the onely Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy Jam. 4. v. 12. Who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth yea he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand Rom. 14. v. 4. Which we now may easily apply to our often-mentioned twofold Adversaries God forbid that we should condemn all Roman-Catholicks much lesse all Lutherans in general or even one single and particular man For first concerning the Papists Whether and how far the Papists may be saved in their Religion like as a twofold Doctrine and Religion is maintained amongst them viz. partly the true Primitive Catholick Apostolick Doctrine wherein they with us and we with them do agree partly the new Popish
least not without prejudice and occasion unto Idolatry and therefore are more safely omitted by us And this will not serve for an excuse to those who now adayes against their conscience go to Masse out of a meer hypocrisie and fear of men because that it is so vehemently pressed upon us from the Papists meerly for to give assent to their errour and Idolatry that we must adore the consecrated Hostie in the hand of the Masse-Priest as Christ himself and put our hope and confidence in that Masse-Christ whom he hath formed out of bread with five words and offereth for us again Neither may this clear the rest of Papists from Idolatry who now adayes with such a blinde zeal impose and presse this Adoration and Sacrifice of the Bread instead of Christ Nor those in general who build their salvation upon their Popish Doctrine and commandments of men which they have added to the true ancient Catholick Divine Doctrine and obstinately adhere thereunto without searching and receiving the Truth especially when therefore they uncharitably condemn and persecute other Christians which cleave onely to Gods Commandment and Doctrine Of whom we may judge in general that in this manner they are in a damnable condition yet so that we hope of every one in particular judicio charitatis that God may convert him yet before his end Whereas there is no doubt but many thousands even amongst themselves who in the time of their life have been most vehemently zealous against us have at length in their last agony learned to acknowledge that they could finde no certain comfort for their souls in all those auxiliary means of salvation which they so fiercely maintained but ought onely to seek their total happinesse and salvation in the meer grace and merey of God so that though they lived as Papists yet at last died Evangelical Christians Whether and how far the Lutherans may be saved in their Religion Whatsoever now hath been said of the Papists that may we apply so much more to the Lutherans because they absolutely agree with us in this principal and chief Point of saving fundamental Doctrine and are otherwise exempted in their Religion from all exteriour Idolatry Wherefore if they onely build their salvation upon such fundamental Doctrine of Faith in Christ Jesus and labour withall to testifie their Faith with Christian charity and godly conversation so that they do not uncharitably condemn nor persecute us but rather diligently search in the rest of different Points into Gods Truth and Doctrine revealed in his Word and having attained the knowledge of it to be ready most willingly to professe and receive it We cannot then condemn them for their often-mentioned errour which they meerly out of humane weaknesse and ignorance stick unto Of what sort of Lutherans are those who live in a dangerous condition of their souls Neverthelesse this may by no means excuse those who 1. will have their own erroneous or at least controverted opinions to be most necessary fundamental Doctrines and Articles of Faith and consequently astrain and binde in some manner both theirs and other Christians salvation thereunto 2. So that Others do not onely not receive us for fellow Christians but judge and condemn us as unfaithful Hereticks who 〈◊〉 in our consciences allow of such their pretended Articles Whereby tâ—â—y â—â—â—er and destroy the Christian Unitie and Ecclesiastical Peace as much as lieth in their power 3. Not onely condemn and cut us off from the Communion of the Christian Church but uncharitably persecute us though not in lives yet in honours and goods by excluding us from the Political Society 4. Especially When they do it not meerly out of humane infirmity and ignorance or out of a false information of our Doctrine and Faith but partly out of obstinacy and malice So that they will not suffer nor hearken to a better Instruction of Truth much lesse search into it themselves in the Word of God Or although they have partly been informed and heard it yet stop their eares and hearts before the Truth out of sinful corrupted affections out of hatred and envy against men out of contention ambition private interest and the like Yea against their own conscience obscure pervert and calumniate it with all sort of slanders detractations and aspersions or intricate Sophistries Of these and like persons we cannot generally out of the Word of God judge any thing else but that they in this manner live in a very dangerous yea damnable state not simply because of the errour it self but because they partly pervert through such errour the ground of Faith in regard they make their own particular opinions to be fundamental Doctrines partly dissolve the bond of Christian charity in regard they judge and condemn other Christians by reason of them But he that doth this not out of a meer ignorance and weaknesse of understanding but out of malice of heart not we but God alone is able to know and discern him Wherefore we ought not rashly to judge and determine of any certain person 5. Those also who though they have had a sufficient knowledge of the Truth in their hearts and yet will not openly professe it out of shame before men or out of other carnal respects are almost in a more dangerous case then the erring themselves because they proceed therein against their own conscience and make themselves guilty of the Lords Sentence Whosoever shall deny me before men or be ashamed of me and of my words him I will also deny Matth. 10. v. 3. Mark 8. v. 38. For not onely he that denieth against his conscience the whole Doctrine of Christ but also he that denieth but one Point of it which he hath known out of the Word of God for mens sake who oppose and condemn it he hath partly denied thereby Christ and been ashamed of his words And whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5. vers 19. For a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Gal. 5. vers 8. They burden also therewith their conscience with the woe and curse which is pronounced against all unrighteous judgement because against their conscience they call evil good and good evil Isai 5. vers 20 23. and decline after many to wrest Judgement Exod. 23. vers 2. For if men be obnoxious to that curse when they peradventure in temporal judicial matters judge unjustly betwixt private persons or following the multitude incline and assent to unrighteous judgement How much more he that doth it in matters of Religion when the Doctrine of â—â—â—ist is disputed and controverted betwixt whole Churches There we ought to labour as much as is possible by fair means to reconcile the different parties and not rashly to judge and condemn the erring Yet not so that we wrest or pervert the Judgement or assent to the injust partie with words or works in their errour and contrarywise withdraw
I think it needlesse at this present Seeing it is for the most part agreed on in Thesi or position of it But in Hypothesi or application of it each one favoureth his side best and transferreth the fault and cause of all dissentions and divisions upon his adversary Wherefore for the conclusion thereof we must apply such common and generall Doctrine to the modern differences and controversies and especially to the three dissenting parties afore mentioned without any partiality and passions CHAP. X. Whether or how farre the Protestant Churches ought or are bound to judge the said Roman-Catholicks in their Doctrine and Religion or to separate themselves from them or to undergo any Reformation AMongst all Schismes and Divisions in Churches which ever since the Apostles times arose amongst the Christians we shall hardly find any one which hath been fomented with more vehemency and fiercenesse then that which in our Predecessours dayes sprung originally in Germany and afterwards was spread over all Europe and at this present is divulged witnesse our own eyes to a most lamentable desolation and destruction of Christendom so that some long continuance thereof which is feared will draw at length upon the necks of all Western Churches like punishment and oppressions as formerly the Eastern suffered under the Turks Tartars and other Barbarous Nations unlesse the Lord doth shorten and prevent them by the day of his apparition Wherefore every one hath good reason to be carefull and to search out which side properly is guilty and the cause of such pernicious Schismes that we may know to which to give assent and to which not Whereby it is not imaginable that one side should be only and totally guilty and the other absolutely innocent and guiltlesse For it may well be that there hath been faults on both sides either in the excesse or defect whereby their minds were exasperated and the divisions grown to such a high pitch And the differences and disceptations in Churches are much like the warre or judiciall law-businesse where many times the most just and equitable cause is very ill managed and commonly prolonged and extended to a great inconvenience if not to the utmost ruine of both disagreeing parties But since indifferences in Religion especially when a resolute Schisme and Division is already formed in the Church no Neutrality nor therefore a totall separation from the Christian Church or the settlement of a peculiar Church is admitted but assent is to be given either to one or the other side in the saving Doctrine and Religion though not all its actions may be approved At least thus far must be determined of the guiltinesse and innocency of the different parties to the end that men may know which Church is to be imbraced and which not Which subject fully and punctually to handle and maintain would require a peculiar book in regard that all modern writings whether they concern Divisions and Dissensions or Ecclesiasticall Unity are in some kind directed to this scope But we shall here be constrained only to touch it in a short and compendious way as much as will conduce to our present intention and to declare it briefly by the aforementioned principles And first whether and how farre we have reason to judge their Doctrine and Religion to separate our selves from them or to reform them Then secondly whether therefore by any means we ought to judge and condemn the persons or whole Churches I. Where then first it is to be exactly examined How farre the Protestants are separated from the Romish Church how farre the Protestant Churches have separated themselves from the Roman-Catholicks Seeing they have not withdrawn themselves one from another in al points of Christian Doctrine and Religion but remain still united in many great and weighty Articles which have been unanimously acknowledged of both sides out of the Word of God For both sides professe and receive the whole Vniversall Apostolicall Creed whereunto we are Baptized on all sides Likewise both sides retain the ten Commandements and the Prayer of the Lord And although they omit in their Catechismes the second Commandement concerning Images yet they retain it at least in their Bibles so that we remain undivided at least according to the letter in three most necessary Symboles or Articles of the Universall Christian Religion credendorum faciendorum petendorum what is necessary to beleeve to do and to aske as was mentioned heretofore And notwithstanding they have added many other human Ceremonies and Traditions to the holy Sacraments which Christ himself hath instituted yet we acknowledge that they have thus farre kept the true Baptisme being the most necessary Sacrament that we nor they desire to rebaptize those that were baptized by us and them Moreover they receive and acknowledge with us the whole Sacred Scripture of the Old and New Testament to be the indubitable Word of God whose Interpretation and meaning in many sound Doctrines yea I dare say in the most is unqestioned betwixt us and them Yea likewise in the Symbols of the Primitive Church of the first and principall Councels which we receive on both sides agreeable and warrantable by Scripture and finally in all points of their Doctrine and Religion which are true Vndoubted Ancient Catholick we remain as yet united with them against all other erroneous Sectaries as hath been declared before Wherefore we cannot nor will judge them Hereticks but rather we must judge and determine by those undoubted and undeniable grounds of both sides all other differences in Doctrine that are left And if we only might be tolerated by them without compulsion of Conscience we nor they had then no cause to separate and with-draw our selves one from another And we would sufficiently find in the said articles whatsoever is necessary unto salvation II. Neither do we judge and condemn them in those things which we generally and on all sides acknowledge and receive as free indifferent matters which neither directè or indirectè in the Word of God are commanded nor forbidden to beleeve or to do but rather confesse that men ought herein to conform themselves to each Church and Lawes of the Countrey Customes and Ceremonies lest because of unnecessary things a separation and scandall be caused according to Augustins rule Quod neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's injungitur indifferenter est habendum pro eorum inter quos vivitur societate servandum est Epist 118 But in such things which We for our part account for free indifferent matters but they for necessary either out of custome or because of the Tradition of their Church or out of a mis-apprehension of the Word of God as for example in Fasts and Holy daies we ought to judge the matter thus far lest according to the rule of the Apostle we may cast a stumbling block or scandall before them by our liberty and knowledge in their pretended necessity but rather dispense with our exteriour liberty in such